James Eli Watson

James Eli Watson (2 November 1864-29 July 1948) was a member of the US House of Representatives (R-IN 4) from 4 March 1895 to 3 March 1897 (interrupting William S. Holman's terms) and from IN 6 from 4 March 1899 to 3 March 1909 (succeeding Henry U. Johnson and preceding William O. Barnard), as well as US Senator from 8 November 1916 to 3 March 1933 (succeeding Thomas Taggart and preceding Frederick Van Nuys).

Biography
James Eli Watson was born in Winchester, Indiana in 1864, the son of a Republican state legislator. At the age of twelve, he attended the 1876 Republican National Convention, and he went on to become a lawyer. He served in the US House of Representatives from 1895 to 1897 and from 1899 to 1909, and he also served in the US Senate from 1916 to 1933. He became known as an Indiana boss due to his connections, and he was an opponent of organized labor. He lost his Senate seat in a landslide defeat in 1933, and he died in 1948.